Colossians: Am I Repeating Myself?

 Colossians: Am I Repeating Myself? 

Why does Colossians sound so familiar? Because it’s supposed to. In this message, we walk through Paul’s prison letter to a church he had never visited — a church tempted to add mysticism, legalism, and spiritual elitism to Christ. Sound familiar? It should. Nearly two-thirds of Colossians overlaps with Ephesians, reinforcing the same themes: Christ’s supremacy, unity over secondary issues, heavenly focus, and transformed relationships. We explore the powerful Christ hymn of Colossians 1 and the meaning of πρωτότοκος — “firstborn” — showing that Jesus is not first created, but first in rank, authority, and supremacy over all creation. From Genesis to Colossians, Scripture consistently reveals God’s pattern of covenantal preeminence. 
Paul then reminds the church not to divide over shadows — food, festivals, Sabbaths — because Christ is the substance. We examine how this applies today in a culture obsessed with status, identity, and “Jesus +” additions. Finally, we turn to Colossians 3 and see how heavenly thinking produces earthly righteousness — compassion, forgiveness, love — transforming marriages, families, workplaces, and witness. Repetition isn’t regression. It’s discipleship. Christ is still preeminent. Still sufficient. Still enough. 

Reader's Version

 Colossians: Am I Repeating Myself? 

Sermon by Gene Simco 

Reader’s Version 
 
I heard a story about a husband reading an article to his wife about how women use 30,000 words a day, compared to a man's 15,000. 

The wife replied, "That's because we have to repeat everything to men." 

The husband, still reading the article, turned to his wife and said, "What?" 

Today we find ourselves in the book of Colossians. 

Colossians sounds familiar. It echoes Ephesians. It overlaps with themes in Philippians, and it reinforces what we saw in 1st and 2nd Corinthians and Romans. That's not accidental. Most scholars believe that Colossians and Ephesians were likely written around the same time and possibly circulated regionally. Paul even mentions a letter to Laodicea, which suggests shared distribution. 

This isn't lazy writing. This is pastoral repetition. Good teachers repeat. Good fathers repeat. God repeats. 

Peter says in 2 Peter 1 that he will remind them, "even though you already know these things and are standing firm in the truth." Paul says something similar, also in Romans. In Romans 15:14–15 (NLT), Paul writes: 

"I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles." 

Paul does the exact same thing here in Colossians. 

Nerd Note: The Ephesian/Colossian Overlap Scholarly estimates vary slightly depending on how "parallel" is defined, but the commonly accepted numbers highlight a profound structural connection between these two letters: 

Colossians has 115 verses total. 

Ephesians has 155 verses total. 

Of those: 

About 73 of Colossians' 115 verses have close parallels in Ephesians. 

About 95 of Ephesians' 155 verses overlap in wording or structure with Colossians. 

So, practically speaking, roughly two-thirds of Colossians appears in some form in Ephesians. And roughly one-third to one-half of Ephesians overlaps with Colossians. And that's significant. It's not accidental repetition; it's structured reinforcement. We see the same Christology, the same household code, the same unity emphasis, and the same cosmic language about Christ's supremacy. 

The Colossian Heresy: "Jesus Plus" 

Why the heavy repetition? Because the Colossian church wasn't denying Jesus; they were subtly adding to Him. They were blending the Gospel with mysticism, asceticism, a heavy Jewish ceremonial emphasis, and earthly, proto-gnostic thinking that led to spiritual elitism. 

Historical & Greek Insight: The "Philosophy" Colossae was once a great city, but by Paul's time, it was declining, overshadowed by its wealthy neighbor Laodicea. In this melting pot of Greek, Roman, and Jewish cultures, a specific syncretism arose. Paul warns them in Colossians 2:8 not to be taken captive by "philosophy and empty deceit" based on the stoicheia tou kosmou (στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου)—the "elemental spirits" or basic principles of the world. The false teachers were claiming that Jesus was good, but to be truly spiritual, you needed secret knowledge (proto-gnosticism), angel worship (mysticism), and severe bodily deprivation (asceticism). It was a theology of "Jesus + something else." 

So Paul repeats the foundation. He repeats it because if Christ is not supreme, everything fractures. 
 
Background: A Church Planted by Proxy 

For a little background, Paul has never been to Colossae—much like the situation we saw in the book of Romans. Paul is in prison in Rome, just like in Philippians; it is one of the classic "Prison Epistles." The church was likely planted by Epaphras, who appears to have brought the Gospel there after being influenced by Paul during the Ephesian ministry, which connects it directly back to Acts 19. 
 
Historical Insight & Context: The Acts 19 Connection To see how this organically unfolded, we have to look at the map. Colossae was located about 100 miles east of Ephesus in the Lycus River Valley. If you recall our study of Acts 19, Paul spent nearly three years teaching daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus. Acts 19:10 tells us that the result of this localized teaching was massive: "all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks." 

Paul didn't have to personally walk those hundred miles to plant the Colossian church. Epaphras, a local of Colossae, traveled to Ephesus, heard Paul preaching the Gospel, was radically saved, and carried that message back home to his own people. This is the biblical model of discipleship and church planting at its finest! 
 
Greek Insight: In Colossians 1:7, Paul calls Epaphras a "faithful minister of Christ on your behalf." The word for minister here is diakonos (διάκονος), the same root word we get "deacon" from. It literally means one who executes the commands of another, like a servant running an errand. Epaphras was running the greatest errand possible: carrying the supremacy of Christ from the lecture halls of Ephesus to the living rooms of Colossae. 
 
He begins the same way we’ve seen in his other letters, opening with grace and peace, and following with prayers for endurance and for joy. 

Following those prayers for endurance and joy, Paul immediately talks about the supremacy of Christ. Colossians 1:15–20 is one of the most powerful Christological hymns in the entire New Testament. We saw a very powerful one in Philippians 2 (the Carmen Christi). But Philippians 2 is about Jesus humbling Himself; Colossians shows Christ reigning over everything. 

Colossians 1:15–20: 

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross." 

Now, this has some very strong similarities to John 1. It clearly states that everything was created through Jesus and that He existed before everything else. 
 
Greek Insight & Context: The Firstborn A key term here in the Greek is prototokos (πρωτότοκος), translated as "supreme" or "firstborn." In ancient culture, prototokos was not primarily about birth order; it was about rank, heirship, and preeminence. It means the one who holds the absolute right of inheritance over the estate. Paul is declaring that Christ is the supreme heir and ruler over all creation. 
 
This will later connect to our Alpha and Omega segment, but bringing both of these hymns together gives us the complete picture: humility, exaltation, preeminence, and authority. 

The Preeminent Christ: The Antidote to "Jesus Plus" 

The theme of Colossians here is preeminent. Not assistant. Not supplement. Not a spiritual upgrade. Preeminence. 

All things are created through Him. All things are held together by Him. All fullness dwells in Him. 

This is Paul saying to the church: 

You don't need Jesus plus angels. 

You don't need Jesus plus mystical experiences. 

You don't need Jesus plus dietary holiness. 

You don't need Jesus plus prosperity formulas. 

If all fullness is in Him, there is nothing else to add! 

Repetition matters here, because the church inevitably drifts toward "Jesus plus." And Paul knows this drift. Today, it looks like Jesus plus success, Jesus plus influence, Jesus plus health guarantees, or Jesus plus status. Paul says, stop. He is enough. 

So then, continuing his pastoral repetition, he reminds them of his sufferings—just like he did in Philippians—and he ends with the body of Christ and the call to unity, just like he did in Ephesians. 

As we move into the second chapter of the letter, Paul begins with a sharp warning about false teachers and their teachings. 

Colossians 2:4 and 2:8: 

"I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments... Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ." 

This "high-sounding nonsense" is something that heavily plagues the church today. People will come up with their own catchphrases and their own popular sayings, but sometimes they simply don't make sense. They elevate their own manufactured lines above Scripture itself, and Paul is warning us that these things are nothing more than high-sounding nonsense. 

Today, we have people speaking in what I would call "Jabberwocky talk"—saying things that sound deeply spiritual but don't actually make biblical sense. One popular example of this is the phrase, "Fear is faith in the enemy." Well, that doesn't make sense, and it certainly doesn't stand up to what we've learned about biblical fear. Paul experienced fear. Jesus experienced fear in His humanity. The Bible plainly says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge and insight. 

You will often hear people claim that the Bible says "Fear not" 365 times. It doesn't. In fact, the Bible tells us to fear way more often than it tells us not to fear. It's high-sounding nonsense. Another political insert that often creeps into our thinking is the famous quote, "All we have to fear is fear itself." On its face, that is completely illogical; it doesn't make any sense at all. We have to boldly reject this high-sounding nonsense and stick strictly to the Word of God. 
 
Greek Insight: Well-Crafted Deceit When Paul warns about "well-crafted arguments," he uses the Greek word pithanologia (πιθανολογία), which refers to persuasive, plausible, but ultimately false speech. It’s the rhetoric of a smooth-talking salesman. He pairs this with "empty philosophies," or kenēs apatēs (κενῆς ἀπάτης)—literally, a hollow delusion. The danger wasn't that the false teachers sounded evil; the danger was that they sounded incredibly smart and deeply spiritual. 
 
Shadows vs. The Substance 

Paul then turns to address the specific issues of the day that were being elevated above the Gospel—secondary things like food, festivals, new moons, Sabbaths, ascetic severity, angel worship, and spiritual pride. 

Colossians 2:16–23: 

"So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 'Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!'? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires." 

Notice the profound parallel here. Paul is doing what he does best: repeating himself. This perfectly mirrors what he taught in 1 Corinthians 8–10 regarding food sacrificed to idols, and what he wrote in Romans 14 regarding disputable matters like observing the Sabbath. 

People still insist on these exact things today. Take the Sabbath, for example; we have entire denominations built around it that have historically divided the church. But Paul's pattern is incredibly consistent. Christ is central. Conscience matters. Unity is protected. 

Legalism divides the body; mysticism distracts the body. 

Paul describes all these religious rules and rituals as mere "shadows." Christ is the substance. Shadows are real—they indicate that an object is nearby—but they are not the object itself. You don't hug a shadow when the person is standing right in front of you. 

This matters tremendously for us today. We also divide over diet systems, political identity, worship styles, secondary doctrines, and health teaching extremes. When do we do that today? Constantly. But Paul's reminder is clear: If it is not the Gospel, do not fracture the body over it. Here is that pastoral repetition again. He already taught this in Romans. He already taught this in Corinthians. He is teaching it again in Colossians because Christians forget. 

In chapter three, Paul shifts the focus where it really belongs: set your minds on things above. This directly echoes the drumbeat of his message to the other churches. He told the church in Philippi, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). He reminded the Ephesians that God "raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 2:6). And he encouraged the Corinthians to fix their eyes on the unseen versus the seen, "since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). 

Paul weaves all of these theological threads together right here in Colossians 3:1–4: 

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." 
 
Greek Insight: Setting the Mind When Paul commands us to "think about" or "set your minds" on the things of heaven, he uses the Greek verb phroneite (φρονεῖτε). This is not just a fleeting thought or a daydream about clouds and harps. It means to direct your underlying disposition, to deeply consider, and to purposefully align your entire intellect and will toward a specific goal. Your mind is the rudder of your spiritual life. 

So Paul repeats this heavenly orientation everywhere he goes. Why? Because earthly obsession produces earthly division. When believers fixate on status, politics, wealth, image, and cultural dominance, they lose their eternal perspective. 

For example, right here in Naples, our surroundings are beautiful. Prosperity surrounds us on every side, and comfort is remarkably easy to come by. A heaven-focus is the only thing that prevents the drift into worldly complacency. Notice carefully: Paul doesn't say to ignore the earth. He says to govern earth from heaven. 

Mindset Determines Behavior 

Because our mindset dictates our behavior, Paul addresses some other vital things we’ve seen before. He commands them to "put to death" earthly things, issuing a stark warning that a greedy person is actually an idolater, worshiping the things of the world. 

He then talks about putting on a new nature. This is that exact same "putting on and putting off" theme—clothing ourselves with a new nature—that we saw mapped out in Ephesians. He tells us to make allowance for other people's faults precisely because Jesus forgave you. He challenges us to represent the Lord in absolutely everything we do and say. 

And that practical, everyday representation of Christ leads us directly to our next movement. 
 
As we move through the rest of chapter three and into chapter four, Paul addresses the household code, which perfectly mirrors what we have already seen in Ephesians. He speaks directly to wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters—a dynamic that translates very practically to employers and employees today. 

It is the exact same pattern: Christ transforms relationships. This transformation does not come through revolution or rebellion, nor does it come through hierarchical abuse; it comes through mutual submission to Christ. The defining difference in Colossians is that absolutely everything is explicitly anchored in the Lord. Marriage is not a vehicle for self-expression, parenting is not an ego extension, and work is not about self-glorification. Everything is done unto Christ. 

Paul repeats this household framework because churches forget that true spiritual maturity shows up in our everyday relationships. It doesn't show up in mystical experiences, strict diets, or political intensity. It shows up in love, patience, forgiveness, and unity inside the home and the workplace. 

The Fruit is Our Witness 

Paul begins to close his letter by asking for prayer and commanding the Colossians to live wisely among unbelievers, making the most of every opportunity as witnesses. Remember the organic rule of the Kingdom: saved trees produce good fruit, and that fruit is our primary witness to the world. We witness with the fruit. 

We saw that exact fruit detailed in Galatians 5:22–23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

The Ministry Network: Restoration and Warning 

Paul closes Colossians the way he closes many of his regional letters: with a long list of people. This isn't just random trivia; it demonstrates network unity and a deeply shared mission. 

He mentions Tychicus, the faithful minister and trusted messenger who actually carried this letter (and the letter to the Ephesians). He mentions Onesimus, a man formerly considered "useless" who is now useful—a relationship that will connect later to the book of Philemon, showing us real-time restoration in motion. He greets them on behalf of Aristarchus, his fellow prisoner whom we see traveling with Paul in the book of Acts. 

Then we see Mark. This is a beautiful detail because Mark was once the source of a massive ministry fracture between Paul and Barnabas. Now, that relationship is completely restored, and Paul highly commends him to the church. We see Epaphras, the likely founder of the Colossian church. 
 
Greek Insight: Wrestling in Prayer Paul says in Colossians 4:12 that Epaphras is "always wrestling in prayer for you." The Greek word used is agōnizomenos (ἀγωνιζόμενος), from which we get our English word "agonize." It was a term used for athletes competing fiercely in the ancient games. Epaphras wasn't just casually mentioning his church before meals; he was engaged in intense, agonizing, athletic spiritual warfare on their behalf. 
 
Paul also sends greetings from Luke, the beloved physician and author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. But then, there is a sobering reminder: Demas. Demas is present here, serving faithfully alongside Paul. But if we fast-forward to the end of Paul's life in 2 Timothy 4:10, we read the tragic words: "Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me." It is a chilling reminder that starting well does not guarantee finishing well. 

The Command to Read Publicly 

Finally, Paul gives a specific directive in Colossians 4:16: "After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea." 

There is an important note here on reading Scripture publicly. Hearing the Scripture absolutely counts! You don't always have to simply sit and read your physical Bible; you can listen to it through Bible apps. In fact, listening is the way most of the early church absorbed the Word of God, as literacy was not universal and scrolls were expensive. More modern churches should return to this practice. 

We are going to see this explicitly commanded in 1 Timothy 4:13, where Paul tells Timothy to "devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture." Sadly, most sermons nowadays feature very little actual Scripture and a whole lot of human speculation. We need to get back to simply reading the Word over the congregation. 

Paul ends this profound letter exactly the way he ended Philippians. He simply says: "Remember my chains. Grace be with you." 

Yes, Paul is repeating himself. If this feels familiar, that is exactly the point. Christ is supreme. Do not divide over shadows. Live from heaven. Let Christ rule your relationships. We have heard all of this before, but repetition is mercy. Truth drifts when it is not repeated. 

So let's look at some of those Alpha and Omega fulfillments that anchor Colossians so deeply in the grand narrative of Scripture. 

The Pattern of the Firstborn 

We see this first in Genesis, establishing the theological pattern of the "firstborn." 

Genesis 4:1–2, 4: > "Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, 'I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.' Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel... Abel, on his part also brought of the firstling of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering." 

Now look at how Paul applies this concept to Jesus in Colossians 1:15, 18: > "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation... He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." 
 
Greek & Theological Insight: In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the word prototokos (πρωτότοκος) is used in Genesis 4 to describe Abel's offering—the "firstborn" of his flock. Yet, the biological firstborn of the human narrative is Cain. From the very beginning of Scripture, the "firstborn" language carries theological weight that goes far beyond mere birth order. It becomes intimately associated with covenant favor, inheritance, and divine regard. 

This pattern continues throughout the entire Old Testament: God chooses Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Ephraim over Manasseh, and David (the youngest) over his older brothers. "Firstborn" language consistently signals status, heirship, and preeminence—not merely chronological sequence. 

When Paul calls Christ the prototokos—the firstborn over all creation—he clarifies in verse 18 what this means: He is to hold the "first place" in everything. Paul is not suggesting that Christ is a created being. He is declaring Christ's absolute supremacy, His inheritance rights, and His sovereign rule over all creation. That same Greek term used to describe Abel's offering—signifying that the first and the best belongs to God—is now applied to Christ as the Supreme Heir. 

Colossians is saying He is first in rank, first in authority, and first in inheritance. Just as Genesis establishes that divine favor does not follow the natural order but the covenantal promise, Colossians declares that Jesus stands above all creation—not as a part of it, but as its rightful Lord. He is not the first made; He is the first over everything. 

Furthermore, there is a profound connection here between Abel’s first acceptable sacrifice—the sacrifice of the firstborn of the flock—and Christ's ultimate sacrifice as the firstborn over all creation. 

The New Covenant and the Sabbath Reality 

Next, we see the New Covenant reality regarding the Sabbath. 

Jeremiah 31:31–33: > "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 

Colossians 2:16–17: > "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." 

Jeremiah foretold a covenant that would not operate like Sinai. The external code, including strict calendar observances, would give way to internal transformation. Paul declares to the Colossians that this shift has officially occurred. 

This exact passage from Jeremiah 31 is quoted at length in Hebrews 8:8–12 to prove this very point: the Old Covenant is obsolete, and the New Covenant has been established on better promises. Sabbaths, festivals, and new moons were shadows. A shadow is not evil; it is just incomplete. It points forward to something solid. Christ is the reality casting the shadow! 

The Sabbath command was not erased; it was fulfilled. Rest is no longer bound to a specific day of the week; it is anchored in a Person. The New Covenant does not abolish holiness; it relocates it from the calendar to the heart. Legalistic control over sacred days collapses because the true rest has arrived. 

(Note: The writer of Hebrews echoes this exact fulfillment in Hebrews 4, explaining that Joshua did not give the Israelites ultimate rest in the Promised Land. Instead, "there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God," and we enter that rest by ceasing from our own works of the law and placing our faith entirely in Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Sabbath!) 
 
Clothing Ourselves with Righteousness 

Finally, we see the Alpha and Omega of clothing ourselves with righteousness. 

Isaiah 61:10: > "He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness." 

Colossians 3:14: > "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." 

Isaiah saw righteousness prophetically as God placing clothing upon His people. In Colossians, Paul identifies exactly what that clothing looks like practically in Christ: it is love that unifies. It is not about putting on external garments of religious rule-keeping, but about an internal transformation brought about through the Holy Spirit. 
 
Living the Supremacy of Christ Today 

So, how does all of this apply to us today? Well, as we have seen, we still do a lot of the exact same things that were going on in Colossae. 

First, we need to examine where we might have added to Christ. Where have we added to our identity? Have we taken our job title, our career identity, or our politics and elevated them above our identity in Christ? Whenever we do this, it inevitably causes pride, deep spiritual problems, and fractures in our relationships. 

Second, we need to honestly identify the secondary issues we elevate above unity. We have talked before about the denominational problem within Christianity, and it is staggering. There are roughly 40,000 different Christian denominations today! We have completely fractured the body of Christ over secondary issues, which is horrible. It has been said that modern Christianity is Paul's worst nightmare. 

For example, you have groups like the Seventh-Day Adventists who say you are not going to heaven unless you strictly observe the Sabbath. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches we do not have to observe that shadow anymore; it was fulfilled in Christ. He is our promised rest, as we see perfectly laid out in Colossians 2 and Romans 14. Fracturing the church over secondary issues is a very real, very huge problem today. There is so much argument and disunity over things that, quite frankly, are not the Gospel at all. 

Next, we need to assess whether our mindset is earthly or heavenly. As Paul taught us in Philippians, are our minds truly set on heaven? Do we live like we are citizens of heaven? Do we really believe that this earth is temporary? Do we believe what Peter says in 2 Peter 3—that this present earth is passing away, that the elements will melt with fervent heat, and be done? 

Are we eagerly waiting for Jesus to return, or are we grasping for control, trying to be like God right here and now? 

Finally, we must evaluate whether Christ actually governs our relationships. Is Christ truly the head of our households? Is He binding our marriages together? Are we really serving one another with a Christ-like attitude, willing to sacrifice for our spouse? We need to identify this in the workplace as well. Are we treating others as better than ourselves, as it says in Philippians? Are we yielding and kind at all times, standing as true witnesses in our places of business? 

The same witness occurs in marriage. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 7, and Peter addresses it in 1 Peter 3: we are called to live faithfully and sacrificially so that an unbelieving spouse might be converted. In both places—the home and the workplace—we are called to be the visible witness of an invisible God. 

Practical Steps for the Week 

Let’s put this into practice as we go out this week. 

First, remove one "Jesus Plus" belief. What have you subtly added to the Gospel or to your identity in Christ? Shine a spotlight on it, take a magnifying glass to it, figure out what it is, and actively work to remove it this week. Practice the removal of unnecessary things. 

Second, refuse one unnecessary argument and respect another person's beliefs. This could be about a variety of different things, but if it isn't the Gospel—if it is not going to save or unsave someone—is it really your business to fight over it? Be willing to put things aside. Have compassion for the other believer. Take an issue that fractures, make it secondary where it belongs, and spend a little time listening instead of arguing. Make allowance for each other's faults and forgive, just as Christ forgave you. 

Third, start each morning this week by reading Colossians 3:1–4. Remind yourself before you go out the door that you are supposed to be thinking of the things of heaven, not the things of this earth. Remind yourself that you have actually died to this life! 

Finally, intentionally serve one family member "as unto the Lord." Serve them selflessly, simply because you are serving Christ in that person. 

Repetition is Mercy 

Remember, repetition is not regression. God repeats Himself because He loves you. 

If you have drifted, you are not abandoned. If you have divided, you can reconcile. If you have focused too low, you can look up. 

Christ is still preeminent. He is still sufficient. He is still enough. 

And that truth is always worth repeating. 

 ________________________________________

©️ Copyright 2026 Gene Simco Most Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scriptures in brackets reflect the original Biblical languages.

Colossians: Am I Repeating Myself?

Reader's Version

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